Rex Tillerson’s visit shows India, America moving closer

But caution is needed, for there is no basic shift yet in US line on Pakistan

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who held official talks on his first India visit on Wednesday, was received warmly in New Delhi. During his meeting with the secretary of state, the prime minister himself “noted the firm upward trajectory in the bilateral strategic partnership following the positive and far-reaching talks with President Trump in June this year”. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the visiting US dignitary agreed to convene the 2+2 dialogue mechanism of the foreign and defence ministers of the two sides early next year. It should be noted that the optics of the South Asia and Afghanistan policies of the Trump administration, announced in August, raises India’s profile. But it is evident there is no basic change in the coordinates of US policy towards Pakistan or Afghanistan, although Mr Tillerson was blunt in his observations (in Islamabad and New Delhi) that Pakistan must be more effective in rooting out terrorism, which had begun to affect its own stability, as he put it.

It was evident from the joint press conference of Ms Swaraj and Mr Tillerson that Washington wants to work with Islamabad “in a positive way” to combat terrorism and promote regional stability. This is a continuation of the failed American policy of the past 15 years, for the US is yet to indicate any serious action if Pakistan does not take verifiable and effective steps to deal with terrorism and terrorist outfits, including those aimed against India and Afghanistan.